When it comes to building on your home, it goes without saying that every homeowner wants the best. For some, this means having to work on every detail of the project by themselves. Others feel that leaving everything to the hands of professional builders is the way to do it - they are, after all, the experts on the matter.

Here we’ve got some points for each side of the camp with regards to outdoor projects. Whether you fall in one side or the other is up to you so read on.

TAKING PRIDE IN YOUR WORK

For those who have the skill, the tools, the experience, and the time to work on an outdoor project; by all means, work on your outdoor home improvements yourself - especially if it gives you great joy to do so. A lot of people take great pride and joy in having a hand in the creation of their home and its amenities.

Another major advantage to tackling a DIY project are the cash savings. You can cut the total cost of your outdoor project by as much as half of what you would have spent if you hire someone else to do it when you choose to DIY. It’s also a great way to bond with family and friends, given that they’re sometimes pretty handy with tools themselves.

LEAVING IT TO THE PROS

When the subject of outdoor home improvement comes up, we usually touch on the same handful of projects; landscaping, paving, decking, patio-building, lighting, etc. You may have very little knowledge of the task at hand (and the other undertakings that usually come with them; electrical rewirings, plumbing adjustments, etc).

Even if you actually do know how to, say, move a previously installed fishpond or relocate an existing pergola, chances are you may not be prepared to work on the other tasks involved. Not only does an extensive outdoor project require a certain amount of skill, but you may also come across unforeseen circumstances that require an altogether separate skillset or even different tools which you may not have on hand. You’ll also need to dedicate a good amount of time towards the completion of the project - something many people who stick with a daily 9-5 grind will be hard-pressed to stick to.

And I’m sure we all have stories about one guy who thought of tackling a project by themselves only to wind up hiring a professional (and ending up paying for more than what they originally would have spent).

CASE BY CASE

In general, even if you have the skills to DIY, there are projects best left tackled by yourself and there are those that you want worked on by a professional. Here’s how they’re usually divvied up:

Common Outdoor DIY Projects:

Herb gardens & flower beds

Side tables and surfaces

Fire pits & circles

Simple vine trellises

Common Outdoor Projects for Pros:

Landscaping/planning and design

Electrical wiring/lighting

Fishponds/swimming pools

Outdoor ovens/fireplaces

The patio building and alfresco design that most Perth homeowners go for is something that we would strongly recommend you call a professional for. Planning a patio is no easy feat, and requires the input of an experienced professional.